Annual Conference sessions
Browse all conference sessions since 2010
Science ♥ society
2019
"The blob: a genius without a brain".
2019
"Mathematics as Material Play"
Equity & Inclusion
2019
A blindfolded experience to grasp visual accessibility requirements.
Business & fundraising
2019
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model.
Strategy & vision
2019
The Supreme Court of the Ecsite Conference will decide whether virtual reality (VR) in museums and science centres is visceral reality providing vital reactions, or just virtually rudimentary and very rubbish.
Research, theory & evaluation
2018
James Beacham is a particle physicist involved in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Watch a video of his keynote.
Science ♥ society
2018
“Go forth and collide, Multiply and create” is the motto of our Science Assembly. Inspired by religious revival meetings, we will offer you songs, laughter, inspiration, and meaning.
Exhibit development
2018
Are you facilitating creative team processes? Tired of always using the same old tricks? Interested in the wider potential of creative techniques? This session is for you.
Strategy & vision
2018
What is the future of science centre exhibitions? Do we need to stick to scientific phenomena, or focus on high tech and current science? Do we concentrate on objects or interaction? Or are physical exhibitions becoming obsolete in the digital era?
Research, theory & evaluation
2017
Professor Alice Roberts is an anthropologist, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Watch a video of her keynote.
Science ♥ society
2017
Nina Simon has been described as a “museum visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine for her audience-centred approach to design. Watch a video of her keynote.
Research, theory & evaluation
2016
Dr. Frans de Waal is a Dutch-American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behaviour and social cognition of primates. Speech title: Prosocial Primates: The Cooperative Background of Our Species
Equity & Inclusion
2016
Dr. Elizabeth Rasekoala is the President of African Gong – the Pan-African Network for the Popularisation of Science & Technology, and Science Communication. Watch a video of her keynote.
2015
Andrea Illy is the Chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A., a family coffee business founded more than 80 years ago. Watch his speech on Ecsite's YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2014
Professor Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University. He delivered a speech entitled "Individual and Collective Wisdom and Failure".
Science ♥ society
2014
Ahmet Üzümcü is the Director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.
Strategy & vision
2013
Dominique Pestre is a social and political historian.Hos speech was entitled "What kind of innovation for the Anthropocene?". Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2013
Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and delivered a speech entitled “ The neuroscience of creativity – Making the most of 21st century technology”. Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2012
Martin Rees, Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, gave a speech entitled "Space exploration, life and the cosmos".
Strategy & vision
2012
Carlo Ratti, Professor at the MIT, gave a talk entitled "Future Cities - The real-time city is now real!"
Science ♥ society
2011
Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor at the Department of French and former Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto, gave a speech entitled "Navigating among the shoals and reefs of social, state and business controls in science and technology".
Strategy & vision
2011
Michael Jones Chief Technology Advocate, Google, gave a speech entitled "The Billionth Visitor".
The first Ecsite Conference took place in 1989. Here you can browse all Conference sessions since 2010. Use the search engine to look for people, topics...
Looking for an older session? Our digital records start in 2007, with programme pdfs attached to each conference page.
Catherine OualianDorothée VatinelNathanael Jeune
Participants will imagine concrete ways to implement the research recommendation to develop visitors’ critical thinking skills. For example, research has identified the conditions for a constructive debate, the risks linked to a simple awareness...
Research, theory & evaluation
Angelos AlexopoulosHannie GijlersLuigi CerriMichail Giannakos
Science learning ecologies are the contexts that contain a wide variety of experiences, across a range of institutions and places both in—and more increasingly—outside school, allowing youth different and multiple ways to engage with science....
The whole experimenta team is looking forward to welcoming all participants at the Nocturne in our science centre. Labs, a spectacular Science Dome, a rooftop-observatory, exhibitions: there is so much to explore! Have a glass of wine and enjoy...
Agnes RuizManon DelauryJoy LatourAgnes RuizOlivier RetoutAlex SusannaPauline RobertPeter Elsaesser
Due to the workshop format this session has a capacity limited to 30 participants.
How does the world of travelling exhibitions pull through during global crises (Covid-19, the war in Ukraine, climate change)? Stakeholders of the touring...
Amparo Leyman PinoInes MontalvaoSilvio WeyAnna Schaefers
Multilingual exhibits, diversification of staff, community partnerships, participatory programmes, among other best practises, are evidence that a science centre or museum is on the right path to becoming diverse and inclusive. However, what is...
Christina RühlmannDominik EssingJulia EllrichArmin DuffEsther HamstraTomas Nilsson
With this session we want to encourage other science engagement organisations to make a big move - a move outside! Given the pandemic, this seems like a logical step, but there are challenges when planning and constructing outdoor exhibits....
Tapio KoivuMartin AggerbeckTorhild SkåtunKirsi PulkkinenCecilia Ekstrand
Science capital research has established itself worldwide, but to implement the findings of the research it needs to be processed and adapted into each country's social structure and culture context. Several Nordic countries have already...
Sharon AmentCamilla ThamLauren HyamsBrad IrwinAlexandra Burch
In 2020, the Natural History Museum set out on a bold new mission: to create advocates for the planet. Join us on a deep dive into how the Museum has begun to realise its new vision, including case studies from across the institution, with honest...
Ronen MirJoseph RocheRooske FranseVera GouveiaSanne van Gammeren
One of the main characteristics of open science communities such as open schooling or citizen science projects is the collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Co-creation within such a community can be very rewarding and valuable. However,...
Christian SichauMarkus WeißkopfMichael John Gorman
The climate crisis, the coronavirus pandemic and the debate surrounding genetic engineering are just three current fields where scientific knowledge carries far-reaching political consequences, causing a predicament for scientists about their...
Research, theory & evaluation
Patricia VerheydenNils Petter HauanJen DeWittAnne Land
Exhibition evaluation is a very practical activity existing at the interface of different competencies, and can be useful multiple ways. But why is it important to evaluate exhibitions? How do we account for different stakeholders? How has the...
Lizzy BakkerStefan FahrngruberWouter van der ZouweMaarten Taborsky
Climate change is a defining challenge of our time and it is happening more quickly than we feared. Limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, reaching net-zero by 2050. This sounds like a race we cannot win. But we are far from...
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